Alone in her room at eight years old, native Texan, Angela Ammons began her career holding a karaoke microphone and singing to Bette Midler’s “The Rose.” A few years later and a few inches taller, she outgrew her room in Austin, Texas, and moved to Nashville, Tennessee. By signing her name to a Universal Records contract, she forfeited the typical teenage dream of football games and high school prom and made her own dream come true.
When recording for her first album began in 2000, Angela struggled against the pressure to adapt her sound to the pop-princess trend that was so prevalent at the time. More than a hook with catchy rhythms, her songs explored emotions and issues that were missing from the billboard Top 40. She rebelled, determined to keep her vision intact, no matter the consequences. The singer’s self-titled album was finally completed and released in September of 2001 -- into the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Angela was only 18 years old at the time. She was devastated. She surmises, “We all began looking at life differently. My perspective changed when I realized that I was never going to see some of my friends again. Selling albums seemed so trivial; the entire country was in a state of mourning.”
Determined to make an impact, Angela started to use her experiences to write songs from a more mature, introspective point of view. She says she molded her style by listening to the artists that inspired her. “The Beatles, Alanis Morrisette, Fiona Apple, Shirley Manson, Aerosmith…keeping variety in my music choices played a huge role in developing my own sound.”
With contributions to movie soundtracks “Save the Last Dance” on Hollywood Records and “American Pie 2” on Universal, Angela has come a long way from her karaoke microphone. In addition to touring in Europe, she has an established fan base that extends into Japan and Australia. Angela has worked with powerhouse players like Paul Logus (Beyoncé, Limp Biscuit), Timothy Schmidt from The Eagles, and Steve Dudas (Ozzy Osbourne, Ringo Starr), and she has no intention of stopping there.
Blueberry juice and mustard are two of Angela Ammons’ favorite things. Though it may sound unbelievable, they both are characteristic of her music. Her chords are sweet, her voice rich, and her words refreshing. But there must be bitterness to add balance -- a harshness that calls out to our emotions. Angela combines both. She is your sister, your mother, your daughter, your best friend. Sometimes she is you. She takes the moments in life that are universal and weaves them into melodies that reach us on an individual level. She’ll sing you through the hard times. And through the good times - well…she’ll rock your face off.
Angela divides her time between Nashville and Los Angeles. She writes songs daily. Her new album entitled “Masquerade” will be completed in early 2008. Finally, Angela has found herself.
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